Excitement is growing for local Mesa Meadows Pony Club members in Nipomo, CA who will be participating in the Pony Club National Championship and Festival in Lexington, Kentucky this month of July.
For Taylor G. this will be her second trip to Kentucky as she was qualified and went 3 years ago. The Pony Club National Championships and Festival are generally held every 3 years. She is looking forward to a better traveling time as last time their truck broke down. This year they are hiring a transporter for the horses and they will drive separately. They expect to take 2 days to travel to Lexington.
Taylor is representing Pony Club Region Camino Real at the Horse 1 Show Jumping level as a scratch team member, which means she will join Pony Clubbers from other clubs. To get herself and her mare Kadenza ready they have focused on conditioning to get in top shape. Taylor uses the conditioning method of “Interval Training” which develops the cardiovascular system and the muscles for top performance. She and “Kadenza” have also spent time in the arena fine-tuning their Show Jumping skills. Taylor feels confident about her work with Kadenza, “My horse and I work well together as a team. I know how to hold back and when to add leg, or wait and let her pick her own spot.”
This will be Chloe’s first time at the Pony Club National Championship and Festival, riding her mare “Lady Godiva”. Understandably she is a bit concerned about the hauling, as Lexington, Kentucky is far from Nipomo, California. Chloe and Taylor both participated in the Camino Real Pony Club Champ Camp held in June. Champ Camp is for all riders who are going to “Nationals”. There they met their coach and other Camino Real Region teammates. Chloe described her Champ Camp experience, “We had two lessons each day for the two days and met our coach. We got instruction on how to keep horses fit and how to prepare for the heat. We watched others ride and we also made saddle thongs so we can hang our saddles in minimum space.” Chloe will be joining one other Camino Real rider at the Developing Horse and Rider level. They will form a team with other riders from all over the US whom they will meet once they get to Kentucky.
Not surprisingly, these girls are excited about their upcoming trip. Taylor says, “I’m really blessed that I get to go. I’m really excited.” Chloe says, “I’m looking forward to the whole experience especially having my horse there and riding in such a famous place.”
Thank you to SLO county resident and Pony Club graduate, Sheridan Trost Kenny (riding Seymour) for sharing her pictures of Lexington, Kentucky from her trip to the Pony Club National Championships and Festival in 2011.
[contentblock id=5]
